Chad Lawie, a co-owner of LongerDays.com, answers some questions about his background, and how he got involved with such a unique business opportunity.
LongerDays.com is US based virtual assistant company based in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina. You may be asking yourself, “What is a virtual assistant company?” The team at LongerDays.com helps small business owners maximize efficiency and productivity both professionally and personally. They can do everything from search engine optimization to social media campaigns to creating a banner on Photoshop for your website and plethora of other tasks. Small business needs change daily, and the team at LongerDays.com is capable of handling all kinds of task to help your business succeed. Check out the interview below that I conducted with Chad, a co-owner of LongerDays.com.
What is your background? Give me a little information about your past before joining the team at LongerDays.com.
I was born and raised in Muskegon, MI. I graduated high school not knowing what to do for a living, and spent three years wandering the halls of the local community college trying to figure it out.
After graduating with an associates degree, I purchased an old 41-foot wooden sailboat, and spent the next two years sailing with my girlfriend (now wife).
We headed south with out any real destination. We sailed as far South as the Jumentos Islands, 100 miles north of Cuba, and as far east at the Azores Islands in Europe.
We didn’t have much money, so we stopped at various points along the way to work. It was during one of these stops in Charleston, South Carolina that I met my current business partner, Brian Gladu.
What do you currently do?
I am currently the co-owner of LongerDays.com, one of the largest U.S. based providers of Virtual Assistance. My normal routine is split between trying to move the company toward our vision, searching for bright, motivated, positive people to join our staff, and, of course, working with our fantastic clients to move their businesses forward.
How did you get started?
I actually started out as an employee at LongerDays. I loved my job, and worked my way up to a management position before leaving the company to continue sailing.
After I returned home to Michigan I contacted Brian to see how things were going with LongerDays, and to let him know that I planned to start my own virtual assistance business. After a number of discussions, we decided it would be better to team our efforts. So I invested in the company, and started a branch of LongerDays up in Michigan.
Where did you get the idea?
Brian started LongerDays.com after having a dissatisfying experience working with an overseas virtual assistant service. Brian believed strongly in the concept and felt that he could offer something unique and valuable to the industry. He set out to build a company that was better in the ways that mattered to him as a small business owner.
Why do you like being an entrepreneur?
I don’t really like being an entrepreneur any more or less than I enjoyed being an employee. There are pros and cons to every situation. One thing I learned from sailing is that if you are not happy where you are, you probably won’t be happy where you are going. So if you think starting your own business will solve all of your problems, think again.
That being said, I love being involved with the virtual assistance industry. As far as business models go, virtual assistance is brand new. There are no manuals or books for running a virtual assistance business. The ground rules are still being written, and it’s exciting to think that our company is helping to set the standards that our industry will follow years from now.
Do you think you were born to be an entrepreneur or raised to be one? Can you share a specific story?
My parents built a successful small business while I was growing up, and seeing their dedication and hard work certainly prepared me for the challenges I’m facing now.
I always had respect for my parents, but now that I am trying to build my own business and I see how impossibly hard it is, my appreciation for what they (and all small business owners) have accomplished is exponentially greater.
Do you have any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
The challenge of owning a small business is greater than you think. Don’t underestimate it. Read the E-Myth.
